Top Strategies Successful Women Follow To Get Promoted

[Part Two]

By Beate Chelette

In my last article, I talked about the reasons why women don’t get promoted more often. My experience as a career coach and long-time entrepreneur has enabled me to witness, first hand, why men tend to get promoted at a higher rate than women. Here’s a link to Part One of the article in case you missed it. http://goo.gl/FWEwa

Now I’d like to talk about the bright side, which is your ability to improve your chances of being promoted by following some key strategies:

Groom Your Successor

As long as you worry that someone wants your job you can’t get to the next level. Successor thinking is crucial to your promotion. Recognize, promote, and mentor the next woman who should have your job. You need to have this successor in place to be ready for the next promotion. Your boss expects it, your company needs it and men tend to do this naturally. Make sure that this new thinking is demonstrated clearly in your next meeting with your boss. Ask what he/she is looking for to consider you for a promotion. Explain that you have recognized and found the person who can replace you so that you can move up.

Take Leadership Seriously

Take a hard look at your leadership skills. Can people expect a consistent behavior from you? If you are still engaging in gossip, office talk, or lunch cliques, you need to change if you want to move ahead. The boss and your colleagues are not your best friends. Your girlfriends are. Keep your circles separated, it’s better for your career. Use The Women’s Code principles of Leadership on C.U.E. (Compassion, uniqueness, empowerment.) Have compassion for your team and those around you. Understand that each team member is unique and brings a different skill to the job. Encourage and understand that. Use it to your advantage. Empower your team to speak because you can listen. Forbes has an interesting take on what makes a good leader. http://goo.gl/CRfy2

Collaborate But Cut Out Gossip

Work relationships should be based on respect and collaboration, not on friendship and personal likes. This type of error in your judgment can be fatal to your career. Women talk. And what you thought you told HER in confidence may be used against you at the next opportunity for someone else’s advancement. Concentrate on working when you’re at work and leave socializing to your life—and friends—outside of work.

Learn From Others Success

Adjust your thinking from ‘what does she have that I don’t have’ to ‘what does she know that I don’t know.’ Seek other women inside and outside the company that have done what you are trying to do. Watch – don’t judge. Learn from those that have done it successfully and be aware of your actions. Make it clear that you are open and willing to learn to move ahead.